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Scenic town inspires great poetry
November 14, 2011, Monday
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DINGQIAO Town is a small place north of Hangzhou that may well be worth visiting now. Known for its mountain scenery, fresh food and tea, the town doesn't get a lot of attention in travel guides, thus making it somewhat of an "undiscovered" gem.
This may well change as the local government is now working on plans to boost the tourism.
The town's history dates back for centuries and over the years Dingqiao's beautiful scenery has been written about in numerous poems. The place most often mentioned in these poems is Gaoting Mountain. The mountain area has great views and many celebrities have visited or lived here over the years.
The local government plans to build the Gaoting Mountain Scenic Area. The first phase has been open to the public last month.
The scenic area includes the mountain, two villages nestled at the foot of the mountain, a part of Shangtang River that passes through town, as well as many cultural sites.
Extending southeast to northwest for 9 kilometers, Gaoting Mountain consists of five hills.
As part of the second phase of the scenic area, stone paths will be paved. For now, it's a good destination for tourists who prefer hiking in the wild. A large peach orchard is at the south side of Gaoting Peak.
Ancient poets wrote of the magnificent peach blossoms in the area as well as the juicy peaches.
However, in the past hundreds of years, peach trees were replaced by mulberry trees.
Only recently did the locals realize the value of the peach orchard, which is why they replanted it.
When next spring arrives, the area may once again become famous for its peach blossoms.
In the town, visitors will be able to find restaurants serving organic vegetables and tasty chicken and duck dishes, as well as tea houses.
Nongjiale, literally meaning happy farmer house, can be found in the two villages at the foot of the mountain. They serve simple local dishes and provide basic accommodation as well.
There are also places to fish.
Other sites are still being developed or renovated including the 1,000-year-old Longju Temple, the former residence of Wang Meng, one of the Four Artists of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and an ancient station to receive foreign envoys in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).
The newly opened Dingqiao Town Folk Culture Museum at the entrance of the scenic area provides a good introduction to the town's history and culture.
This may well change as the local government is now working on plans to boost the tourism.
The town's history dates back for centuries and over the years Dingqiao's beautiful scenery has been written about in numerous poems. The place most often mentioned in these poems is Gaoting Mountain. The mountain area has great views and many celebrities have visited or lived here over the years.
The local government plans to build the Gaoting Mountain Scenic Area. The first phase has been open to the public last month.
The scenic area includes the mountain, two villages nestled at the foot of the mountain, a part of Shangtang River that passes through town, as well as many cultural sites.
Extending southeast to northwest for 9 kilometers, Gaoting Mountain consists of five hills.
As part of the second phase of the scenic area, stone paths will be paved. For now, it's a good destination for tourists who prefer hiking in the wild. A large peach orchard is at the south side of Gaoting Peak.
Ancient poets wrote of the magnificent peach blossoms in the area as well as the juicy peaches.
However, in the past hundreds of years, peach trees were replaced by mulberry trees.
Only recently did the locals realize the value of the peach orchard, which is why they replanted it.
When next spring arrives, the area may once again become famous for its peach blossoms.
In the town, visitors will be able to find restaurants serving organic vegetables and tasty chicken and duck dishes, as well as tea houses.
Nongjiale, literally meaning happy farmer house, can be found in the two villages at the foot of the mountain. They serve simple local dishes and provide basic accommodation as well.
There are also places to fish.
Other sites are still being developed or renovated including the 1,000-year-old Longju Temple, the former residence of Wang Meng, one of the Four Artists of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and an ancient station to receive foreign envoys in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).
The newly opened Dingqiao Town Folk Culture Museum at the entrance of the scenic area provides a good introduction to the town's history and culture.
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